RUNNING isn?t everyone?s cup of tea ? and running ten miles in Portsmouth on the last weekend of October is certainly not the way most people spent their Sunday. But Alison Banwell of North Tawton, and her sister Lucy, were there with thousands of others for the Great South Run last weekend. Alison, aged 26, did the run for the Multiple Sclerosis Society. Her mother is a sufferer of MS, an incurable neurological condition, which usually strikes at the prime of life. Her mum was diagnosed with the disease within the last year, but is likely to have been suffering from it for much longer. Alison said that MS has had a profound effect on her mum?s life. She has had to leave her job and she finds it difficult to be out and about. When she does manage to go out she has to use a scooter but finds even the small trips out incredibly difficult. The MSS, the largest charitable organisation in the UK supporting MS, is dedicated to supporting sufferers of MS and funding research into the disease. It offers day care, physical therapies, training, campaigning and financial support. Alison said: ?They do loads of great things and give a lot of support that covers many different areas. ?I decided to so the Great South Run because i quite like running and I hoped it would raise the profile of the disease and the society.? Alison managed the ten mile course, through the wind, rain and cold, in 1 hour 35 minutes. Speaking before the event she said she hoped that she would do it under 1 hour 45 minutes. She added: ?I?ve not done as much training as I would have liked but I?ve managed to squeeze a bit in. I?m worried my legs might drop off but I keep telling myself it is for a good cause.? Alison and her sister managed to raise more than £200 for the MSS, who also provided a refreshment tent for runners on the day. More information about the MSS is available through http://www.mssociety.org.uk">www.mssociety.org.uk There are currently 85,000 sufferers of MS in the UK. There is still no cure.
